Tension in Caucasus is escalating, since there has been contradictory
information on Russias advance against Georgian soil. In the meantime,
an EU-sponsored peace initiative has been underway. An official
announcement issued by the Georgian government said Russia took control
of Gori, Stalins birthplace, late on Monday evening. Located some 60km
off the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, Gori is Georgias largest city. As
per the announcement, the Georgian forces that had been pounding
Russias positions in the capital of South Ossetia, retreated to protect
Tbilisi. However, the Russian Defence Minister denied all relevant
information, arguing that no Russian troop had entered in the Georgian
city. Foreign press correspondents have confirmed the Russian claims,
reporting, though, that Russian forces are advancing against Georgian
soil, to the south of Abkhazia. In a televised address, the Georgian
President said that the countrys largest part is under Russias control
and asked for the international communitys contribution. In the
meantime, civilians are battling to survive.

Diplomatic Fever

The French Foreign Minister and his Finn counterpart are due in Moscow
to unveil a peace plan the Georgian President has already given thumbs
up for. The plan calls for respect to Georgias territorial sovereignty,
an immediate ceasefire and return to the former status quo.

French President Sarkozy is expected in the Russian capital on
Tuesday.

The fighting between Russia and Georgia in South Ossetia has refuelled
tension in Washington-Moscow ties. US top official Mat Bryza, who
blamed Russia for having prepared invasion in Georgia long before, is
to fly to Georgia.

Russia, on her part, has already rejected the ceasefire called by
Georgia, while Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accused the USA of
cooperating with Georgia.

From Beijing, US President George W. Bush voiced his concerns over
Moscows disproportionate response and urged it to end the shelling.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown sounded on the same page, while the
Foreign Minister of the G7 nations called for an immediate ceasefire.

Of all the Greek athletes that competed on day 3 of the Beijing
Olympic, only the rowing crews stood out, adding new brilliant
performances in their record. Giannis Christou made it to the semis of
single scull, as he clocked 6:58:28 landing third place in heat 2.

Christos Tsakmakis advanced to the semis of the Canoe/Kayak Slalom,
after finishing 10th in heat 1 and 5th in heat 2.

On his debut in the Beijing Olympics, Olympic medallist Nikos
Kaklamanakis ranks 5th, after landing 10th place in the first race and
2nd in the second race. Antonia Frai ranks 14th, after finishing 15th
in the first and second race.

Andreas Kosmatopoulos and Andreas Papadopoulos rank 16th, after
finishing 5th in the first race and 26th in the second. Emilios
Papathanasiou ranks 15th, after finishing 18th in the fifth race and
15th in the sixth.

In Yngling, the Greek crew consisting of Sofia Bekatorou, Sofia
Papadopoulou and Virginia Kravarioti rank 10th, after landing 2nd place
in the fifth race.

In swimming, none of the Greek swimmers succeeded in advancing to the
next round. Romanos Alyfantis finished eighth in heat 5 of the Mens
200m Butterfly, clocking 1:57:99. Eleni Kosti also failed, landing
eighth place in heat 3 of the Womens 200m Freestyle, clocking 2:04:55.

In tennis, Lena Daniilidou lost to Virginie Razzano of France in the
first round of Womens Single.

Finally, in womens water polo, the Greek national team was downed 8-6
by Australia.

The breathtaking final of the Mens 4x100m Freestyle Relay and the
record set by Italian Valentina Vezzali that became the first fencer in
Olympic history to win three Individual Foil gold medals at three
consecutive Olympics stood out on day 3 of the 29th Olympic Games.

In one of the most exciting relay finals in the swimming history, the
US team smashed the word record clocking 3:08:24, overhauling the
French, who finished second. This is the second gold medal that rests
on Phelps chest, who, according to experts, is too close to meeting his
unprecedented goal, namely eight gold medals.

Kitajima Kosuke of Japan managed to defend his Olympic title and
rewrote his own world record in the Mens 100m Breaststroke final,
stopping the clock at 58.91. Briton Rebecca Adlington won gold medal in
he Womens 400m Freestyle, and World champion Lisbeth Trickett of
Australia took gold with a time of 56.73 in the Womens 100m Butterfly.

In shooting, Abhinav Bindra of India claimed the gold medal in the Mens
10m Air Rifle, while Finlands Satu Makela-Nummela won the gold medal in
the Womens Trap.

In judo, Elnur Mammadli of Azerbaijan was awarded the gold medal in the
Mens -73kg. Italian Giulia Quintavalle won gold in the Womens -57kg
weight class in her Olympic debut. It should be noted that Rasul Boqiev
of Tajikistan claimed the bronze medal in Mens -73kg, earning his
country its first Olympic medal ever.

After reducing about five square metres of forest land into ashes, the
wildfire that broke out early on Monday evening in the area of
Giobanitsa near the Zografou Convent on Mount Athos was brought under
control. It was a thunderbolt that started the blaze.

Thunderbolt-triggered blazes also broke out in forest lands in
Halkidiki. They were immediately contained, without threatening humans
or built-up areas.

Another wildfire is raging in the northern prefecture of Kastoria. The
rugged place is giving firefighters a hard time. No built-up areas have
been threatened.

Finally, the fire in a mine area near the village of Loutrakis in the
prefecture of Pella, northern Greece, is burning for 4th day running.

University of Michigan scientists have identified a gene variant found
more often in people who said their first cigarette produced a "buzz".
These people were much more likely to go on to become regular smokers,
the journal Addiction reports.

The researchers say the finding may help development of anti-smoking
drugs. It appears that for people who have a certain genetic make-up,
the initial physical reaction to smoking can play a significant role in
determining what happens next.

A persons decision to smoke for the first time, or carry on smoking, is
not thought to be governed solely by his or her genes, but a mixture of
genes, environmental factors and social pressures.

However, scientists are hoping that by cracking the genetic secrets of
nicotine addiction, they could make it easier for people to wean
themselves off cigarettes, or even stop them taking up the habit in the
first place.

The gene in question, CHRNA5, has already been highlighted by other
studies into nicotine addiction, and it has been suggested that it
could increase a smokers chance of developing lung cancer.

The Michigan research, however, suggests that it could be at work from
the very first instance of exposure to nicotine. Genetic data was
obtained from 435 volunteers, some of whom were regular smokers, and
some who had tried cigarettes but were not currently smokers. They were
quizzed about how they felt about their first smoking experience.